New Project

After much discussion and debating about ideas and possible stories for third year, we have come to a very simple notion; that story is key. We want to tell a good meaty story without complications. A story that has a sense of universality in the themes and a easy to follow 3 act structure perfect for a 5-10 min film.

In addition to pages scribbled with character ideas created during meetings at work, the piece pictured above is one of the first srs concept art pieces for the adult unicorns.

Still Life

Been trying to experiment with different approaches to art, including using traditional 'high art' in the sub culture world of online gaming. This is my interpretation of the foods of Azeroth from World of Warcraft created with an influence of the Dutch masters of the 15th Century.

Willem Claesz Heda 1599 1680

New Online Folio

Can't believe that we're about to go into our final year of the Bachelor of Animation, the last two years seems to have vanished. In an attempt to maintain momentum and motivation over the holidays, I've started working on my online folio. Sat in on a lecture given to the third years about the importance of online folio presentation and have given it a go, Check it out

Princess Project

This project looks at the positive and negative sides of celebrity and is a possible topic for my final year film in 2011. I like the idea of idealistic visions of the princess colliding with today's idea of fame and celebrity and its close association with infamy.

Done

After a few last minute changes (including the overall size of the product which we really shouldve clarified at the very beginning of the project) we are done. You can view the final draft at the following link. 

I think we have produced a product that is exactly what the client required and is a commercially viable and professional looking advertisement that introduces the community radio station and the ideologies that support.

The group worked exceptionally well and we worked hard to produce a project of a high standard for application in a 'real world' setting. I'm very proud of what we have achieved.

Creating the Typical Princess Scene....Work in Progress

For the opening sequence of my post production assignment I want to create a typical princess moment reminiscent of Disney style so that people are expecting a film bout Princesses in the stereotypical vein, not in the way in which i intend to present them....hehehehe. Stay tuned more coming soon.

Character Designs

Update on an idea i have for my final year film and also as part of my assessment for post production and visual story class. I intend to place classic fairytale princesses in the 'real world' of fame and celebrity. Relying upon stories from the tabloids and trashy TV to direct the plot and shape the characters' experiences.Go to the following link to check out my version of a very girly Cinderella.  Character Sheet Cinderella

Summing up the Community Engagement Experience

Overall it was interesting to be able to work on a project that could potentially be a part of something professional- fingers crossed it gets an airing on Briz31.

My role has been an interesting one as producer. I've enjoyed liasing with the client and also with the group keeping morale up and working through any issues to ensure a positive and productive experience for each group member. Although the teamwork aspect of this task has been easy considering our group works together exceptionally well with egoless cooperation and each group member working to do their share and furthermore step in to help others who may be struggling. Each group member worked responsibly and with deadlines in mind. All of us worked towards a common goal and we are proud of what we have already achieved given the pleased reception we got from the client.

As part of my role, organisation and timelines were decided upon and enacted on a weekly basis through the typing up and distributing of weekly meeting minutes to the rest of the group. So from my perspective I think the project was organised effectively and efficiently as is evidenced by our ability to have completed the task on time for the client's needs.

Challenges Throughout the Project

When we first took on this project it was essentially a blank canvas with a very broad idea from the client. Our first hurdle was to narrow down what treatment we were going to apply to the advertisement and secondly how we were going to encapsulate the ethos of a 25 year old radio station in 30 seconds.

Once we had selected the idea for the advertisement and used the unifying structure of chronology to help tell the story of 4zzz we had to work together to create a treatment that each of us could understand from a design perspective given that we were an even mix of 2 and 3D animators. Flash animation was eventually decided upon as it gave us the best sense of the graphic icon driven design we were aiming to achieve.

This in itself served as a challenge to me, as Flash is a form of animation i tend to avoid given past experiences with the program and my current love affair with Toon Boom Animate Pro. So when it came time to animate my portion of the advertisement i had to relearn some aspects particular to Flash animation.

I was happy with the design of the cloud and my interpretation of the wrecking ball typography given my limited knowledge of both Flash and typographical design.

In addition to the visual we also had a few hiccups with the audio, most notably the crucial static tuning sound of the radio. Initially we had difficulty locating freely available sound and then struggled to make it sound like the tuning of a radio. After many revisions we were able to pitch it perfectly with the inclusion of a feedback sound that instantly denoted it as a wireless tuning to a new station.

All in all our challenges and the difficulties encountered throughout this project have been minimal.

Meeting with the Client

Today we met with the client. And we were pretty proud of how our advertisement looked and so were the client. We were advised of a few minor changes such as colour and the inclusion of their new logo, but overall they were very happy with the quality and style of the advertisement.



In order to allow more time at the close of the advertisement we were advised to cut one section of the ad which we were more than happy to do :) The rest of the meeting went well and for now the rest of the semester will be spent refining the animation and typography before we submit it for (fingers crossed) airing on Briz31.

Revising the Animatic

Our Community Engagement project is really starting to take shape. Thanks to some great revisions in our Sound Design, we now have a solid basis upon which to build the visuals.

We chose to divide each section of the advertisement as equally as we could. I was responsible for the introduction and the Cloudland section (seen in the YouTube link above). When these ideas were presented to the group it was decided that they essentially captured the 'look' we were aiming for with the ad. Although the text was a little clunky we were able to learn from Alex how to create a fluid graphic typographical look to the font and the associated revisions were made. We also decided to ditch the music notes and the dance feet entering the screen as this overcomplicated and cluttered the staging area; something we have to be acutely aware of given the amount of movement in the advertisement and the short time frame available to communicate the message.

Next week we will hopefully present our final draft animatic and then move into the final revisions before the advertisement will be ready for 4zzz. Part of my role in this later stage of the production is to ascertain the production parameters required for an advertisement on Briz31. I will also have to write a disclosure statement of some kind absolving us of responsibility in the use of the prerecorded music that the station stipulated would be ok to use. So it all seems to be coming together and after weeks of fearing that we were running behind schedule in relation to other groups, we seem to have caught up and will be ready to present the project in good time and at a quality that we the group and the client should be happy to 'own.'

Animatic

Working on the Animatic

Part of our pre production package is the creation of an animatic. Today saw predominantly Beth and Alex work on the second draft of the animatic in Flash, I was also able to share opinions and share in the creation of it and the formulation of ideas.

After last week's meeting we were armed with a series of revisions and suggestions for this draft of the animatic. At the moment we have settled on the background colour, a gradient black/burnt orange fill  that gives definition to the stage area of the animation and furthermore creates a border of sorts. At times we struggled to come up with politically correct icons and symbols as ironically the reason most symbols are recognizable is due to their stereotype status as the archtype; something that would be an issue for a social justice driven radio station like 4zzz.

The animatic at the moment lacks the final choice of fonts so at times it can be difficult to envision the final result. However the icons and symbols we have chosen are coming together well and fit with the overall theme and look of the advertisement.

Community Engagement Group Roles

We're about half way through the timeline for this project and the group has been working together exceptionally well, with each member willing to stay back to work on the project and keen to get involved in as many aspects of the project as possible.

Not sure if I've outlined this before, but felt that I should go into more detail in relation to our roles within the group.

Currently we're still in Preproduction phase and this is where my role as 'Producer' has the bulk of its workload. We sat down as a group and developed a production schedule as I see it as part of my role to ensure that we are pretty much sticking to that expectation as much as humanly possible. I also see it as part of my responsibility to keep minutes of meetings and each week I distribute through FaceBook an outline of the meeting and the set objectives for the following week. My job also entails communications with the client, setting up meetings, troubleshooting and ensuring that the group is happy with all aspects of the project thus far. As part of my preproduction role I also obtained and selected segments of audio suitable for the project.

The production phase of the project is where the other group members take charge. Marnie is sound designer, Alex is in charge of typography design and Beth is in charge of animation design. Although each of us will experience all aspects of the production phase through the equal sharing of the animation workload.

At the moment we have run into a small snag with the use of music and copyright, but its an issue that we have been able to overcome through reliance upon group members siblings (handy). At the last meeting we Marnie submitted the latest sound edit and Beth and Alex talked us through the basic animatic. We were able to identify potential issues with both aspects of the project and will work together as a team to create a vision of 4zzz that closely aligns to our and the client's expectations. I do however think that it is the sort of project that will have to wait for judgement until we can see a product in colour, as it is difficult to imagine how it will look and to furthermore ascertain whether all group members and the coordinator are on the same page in terms of design animation.

Audio and Text

Locked in most of the audio today and was able to make some further cuts to ensure that the advertisement fits within the 30sec time slot. In addition to the audio we were able to finalise the 'script' for the motion typography. We've made the decision to animate the text and images in Flash in keeping with the streamlined simplistic design style of the overall ad.We're also going to add simplistic symbols and images to enable us to cover a range of decades and a range of topics without compromising on the mini narratives of each section.

Im envisioning this style of graphics and symbols, will create a folder to share with the others to see whether we are on the same page (literally).

Basic colours perhaps in a more pastel palette? With words, images and actions combined. 

The final song for the tagline has also been chosen and its a song that we believe best fits with the ethos and motivations of the radio station.

This week will see the storyboarding completed for discussion in the next meeting. Overall progress is steady and I believe that we have a fairly unified vision of the advertisement.

Pixelprovement

Improved a bit with some guidance from those in the know :) This one was done in photoshop CS3

Pixel Experimentation

Something I've always wanted to have a go at is Pixel Art- i like the idea that a style of artwork that was popular when i was a kid and computers came with two on screen colours - orange and black or green and black. So this is my first attempt.

I think i have to research exporting it cos now its all fuzzy :(

4zzz Audio

Contacted 4zzz and they were extremely helpful in providing us with the information we required including the Audio snippets and the music tracks. I spent about 5 hours trawling through the tracks finding suitable key phrases and audio tracks that would be appropriate for community television. Given that 4zzz is a left wing anti establishment driven station you can imagine that some of the stuff was unusable.

The key phrases will make up the basis for the typography and by next meeting our sound technician should have a preliminary track laid down so that we can get an idea of time and amount of content that will be appropriate for a 30sec advertisement. The tracks that ive chosen give an overall impression of where the station has stood in terms of Brisbane history since 1975. We are keen to get moving on the actual motion typography but there is still more preproduction stuff to do, next week will see the final tracks chosen, the storyboard completed and the basic text movement started.

4zzz Community Engagement

As part of our Community Engagement project we need to keep a blog outlining or progress. We're (me and 3 others) are working with local Brisbane radio station 4zzz to create a 30 second advertisement to be shown on Community TV channel Briz31.

Am more excited about this project now that we have got a clearer idea of our focus. We will be creating a motion graphics inspired animation that will outline the ethos of the radio station and also provide a chronological tour through the station's presence in the local community.

We have organised the group into the pre production and production phases with each person responsible for a primary role and a secondary job. I'm working in the preproduction phase which includes organising the collation and collection of the audio snippets and music tracks that will provide the basis of the advertisement. We also have a group member in charge of typography, sound design and animation.

The advertisement will signify the change in chronological era through both the sound and the visual (radios from 1970s to the present day). Instead of using a cut out style, we are planning to employ a retro graphics style to the illustrations by using a limited palette and heavy outline.

Analysis of Sound in the 'World'

Watch the Cinematic:
Here

Since the first ‘appearance’ of sound on the Hollywood movie scene in 1926, the ‘talkies’ set the pace for the rapid technological development and enhancement in the concept and art of sound design in the film industry. An often underrated component of film; sound and hearing seems to be locked in an eternal struggle for value and independence against the dominance of the visual in terms of perceived importance. Groundbreaking sound designer and sound engineer on films such as the original Star Wars trilogy, Walter Murch commented on the hierarchal relationship between sound and vision stating that, in terms of what we see and what we hear, film sound is rarely appreciated in its independent entirety but instead functions as an enhancement of the visual (Paine, 1985). Ideally however upon closer analysis of cinematic sound in all its forms from Foley to ambient to narration, music and dialogue there is a realisation that the imbalance in recognition between the auditory and the visual senses on screen should be courted in the terms of French film director Robert Bresson when he stated in his seminal work, Notes on Sound, ‘image and sound must not support each other, but must work in turn through a kind of relay’ (Weiss & Belton, 1985). It is this concept of a relay and the associated interplay between sound and vision that provides a concrete basis for an analysis of sound in film and other emerging entertainment technologies such as the computer game cinematic.

The following analysis will examine the complex interplay between sound and vision as it is expressed in the computer game cinematic created by Blizzard Entertainment to promote and introduce their now hugely successful massively multiplayer online game (MMO), World of Warcraft. The World of Warcraft cinematic, first released November 23 2004, is a successful demonstration of how sound and image work as Bresson’s relay to create a convincing environments, characters and conflicts that are designed to immerse the viewer in the world; of Warcraft.

Gaming cinematic Sound Design is an evolving technology that has its roots in film sound and in the early arcade based computer games of the 1980s. Sound in the context of gaming not only works in a relay with vision to create an entire world, it furthermore acts as an anchor and identifier with the additional purpose of attracting the gamer to invest time and energy playing the game. This is noticeable in early arcade games (Space Invaders) wherein their addictive appeal can be attributed to the loud thumping repetitive sound schemes (McDonald 2009) that become associated with in game failure and also in game success thus becoming a part of the personal investment of the gamer in the game.

The World of Warcraft cinematic is a 2min segment of computer generated 3D animation that was released independently of the actual game. It has a dual purpose, first and foremost it is an advertising mechanism designed to attract prospective gamers to the game through the use of sound and vision. The second purpose of the cinematic is to introduce the concept and characters of the game and in keeping with the fantasy role playing genre and gamer expectations of an MMO, ensure that the ‘lore’ and back story is illuminated. The opening sequence details the lore of the created world with the use of non diegetic sound in the form of a female voice over narration accompanying a map of the game world. The voice is calm, melodic and barely above a whisper as if the narrator is sharing a secret. There is an increased bass in the voice that adds depth and in turn a sense of authority and ‘truth.’ In this particular segment it is clear the non diegetic sound dominates the static visual of the map. The final line of the narration, ‘the drums of war thunder once again’ leads the audience to assume that the next section of the cinematic will be loud and chaotic punctuated by the sounds and images associated with a war, however this line is applied ironically with the next scene juxtaposed through the use of a ‘J ‘ sound edit wherein the background timbre of the choral music becomes the whistling wind that contrasts the expectation of a thundering war with peace and quiet in an isolated alpine region. This opening segment demonstrates Bresson’s ‘sound relay’ in action with neither the sound or the vision relying upon each other. The relay is a concept employed both holistically throughout the cinematic and additionally within each of the six mini self contained vision and sound scapes that serve to introduce the viewer to the characters, environments and basic combined conflicts found within the game.

Each of the six segments in the cinematic provides insight into the character type through the deliberate choice of sound and vision. To establish both character and context the Dwarf character is introduced firstly through sound. An atmospheric layered diegetic wind sound with accented higher pitch ‘whisp’ sounds indicate not only the character’s proximity to the camera but also eludes to his environmental context being alpine, outdoors, desolate and exposed even before vision is revealed. Once the visuals are revealed, the small whisp accents in the wind give a sense of mass to the character, suggesting that the wind is not only whirling past him but also around him. Body mass and movement of the character is further enhanced by the Foley noise of snow crunching footsteps that are slow in pace indicating a heavy set character moving laboriously. Bresson’s relay is capitalised again in this segment with sound firstly identifying the presence of the hunter’s pet bear. The animal groan and heavy breath are heard before the full visual reveal of the animal. As the camera draws away from the hunter and bear to a panoramic shot of character in context, there is an amplification of the higher tones in the ambient layered wind sound that successfully indicates the isolation of the character and the distance between the audience (camera) and the Dwarf. The high pitched wind tones are minimised as the exposed alpine wind then becomes the sound of leaves on the breeze in a ‘J’ sound edit that where sound pre-empts the visual for the next segment of the cinematic.

The next segment of the cinematic exemplifies how the notion of a ‘relay’ is employed not only within each section, but also holistically throughout the cinematic. In this case, the concept of the relay refers to Blizzard Entertainment’s overall vision of the six self contained yet connected soundscapes and their placement in relation to each other. In order to demonstrate the diverse character types and environments found within the ‘World,’ the cinematic soundscapes are juxtaposed to create contrast between the aspects of sound elements in each section. For example the Dwarf segment is loud with a sense of vastness and isolation in an alpine environment contrasted with the Night Elf section placed within a nullified wooded forest. These elements as stipulated by Bordwell and Thompson (filmsound.org) include both the acoustic properties of the soundscape (volume, pitch and timbre) and the dimensions of film sound (rhythm, fidelity, space and time).

The Night Elf section of the cinematic creates a soundscape that contrasts with the open vacuous illusion created in the Dwarf section. High pitched wind tones are replaced with a dying breeze and sense of closeness that is articulated through a nullifying of the ambient and Foley sounds. Metallic sounds in the distance are offset to the left ear of the audience indicating a panning automation process has been used in the sound design phase to make it sound as though the fighting is in the near distance surrounding both the audience and the Night Elf character. The Foley sounds of footsteps are light, fast paced dull thudding sound as if the sure-footed elf character is running on a forest floor of soil and twigs. Diegetic ambient water trickle sounds increase as the elf approaches the stream and decrease as if she is moving past them at a running pace. To further elude to speed there is whoosh sound as the camera and in turn the audience move past a tree in the foreground. This sound could be deemed as both diegetic (is the camera or audience actually present) and non diegetic (sense of movement outside the realm of the screen) depending on the interpretation of the camera and audience in being a part of the on screen action. The inclusion of this sound also adds to the hemmed in density of the forest soundscape. Bresson’s concept of the relay of sound is also effectively employed in this forest scene wherein the Night Elf morphs into a jungle cat. The visual is delayed in favour of the seemingly out of place ‘magical’ sound which highlights the importance of this transformation to the audience and secondly allows the Night Elf to morph rather than simply change into the animal, a point that is important in terms of attracting gamers through innovative gameplay.

The next four soundscape segments (Undead character, Tauren, Orc and Human character) are shorter in length and are juxtaposed in terms of their diverse acoustic properties and dimensions of sound, thus enabling the audience to identify each distinct segment based on vision or sound alone as these components of the cinematic are not dependent upon each other. A detailed analysis of each of these soundscapes can be found in the attached appendix. (appendix 1:1) The final phase of the cinematic is designed to demonstrate how each of these characters clash in conflict to create a world ravaged by war.

To mark the change from single character sections to combined conflicts, the Blizzard sound designers used silence to signify this shift in content. Bresson’s concept of sound and vision as a relay is also deployed as the screen cuts to black and the silence is broken by the metallic sound of what is later revealed to be a musket rifle. The lock turning creak and metallic grind of the sound helps to identify the type of gun and place it in a historical era. The vision is revealed with the loud reverberating diegetic bass boom of the rifle which recommences the action on screen. This final phase of the cinematic sees Dwarf against Tauren, the Undead army begin to march forth, Orc versus Night Elf and the human character battling an elemental monster. A full break down of the sounds employed during these conflict segments can be found in the attached appendix. (appendix 1:2)

Conflict as found within the actual gameplay of World of Warcraft is demonstrated in the final phase of the cinematic, yet there is also a sense of conflict created at a sound design level. Whether intentional or not, there is a rising competition between the diegetic and non diegetic sounds, most notably with the overbearing volume of the music soundtrack. The non diegetic soundtrack in the earlier segments of the cinematic was initially a secondary aspect of the overall soundscapes, with a timbre and rhythm in keeping with the fantasy genre of folkloric irreverence, however in the final phase of the cinematic the soundtrack at times takes the place of ambient and Foley sounds that would have created a dynamic soundscape of war. This is particularly prevalent in the Orc versus Night Elf section wherein the full impact of the size and force of the Orc over the speed of the Night Elf is lost amidst the increased volume of the music. This increased supremacy of the non diegetic soundtrack (most notably the utilisation of rhythm directing visuals) however, could be an additional layering of the concept of conflict and chaos. The music combined with sound and vision creates a chaotic clash for the auditory and visual senses of the audience thus building tension and giving potential gamers a sense of the urgency and excitement found within the game itself.

Sound design within the World of Warcraft cinematic is a complex and multifaceted production that effectively employs Robert Bresson’s theory of the sound and vision relay to ensure that the visual and the audio can stand independent of each other whilst still retaining a sense of identity and connection to the holistic presentation of the cinematic. The power of sound in the cinematic echoes in longevity for the characters, their environments, their conflicts and their created fantastical worlds remain long after the images have faded from our minds.

Everything's Peachy

Spent the other day in at uni working on a collaborative project with other keen animators. Organised by lecturer Joe Brumm we worked from a base character which we adapted to suit our own style. Each animator did about 7 seconds of animation depicting the character in a typical teenage situation.

I'm excited about the result and think it will look fantastic as a complete film. It also gave us practical experience in working with a model sheet and in a studio format wherein deadlines were strict (one day!!) and everyone did only a small piece on a larger film. A great idea that I think will do well if entered into festivals.

Speaking of competition, I also entered the James and the Giant Peach comp on Deviant Art. My entry below. Check out my full folio at Deviant Art.

Toy Story 3

Was a bit wary of this one after the pioneering success of the first Toy Story film, and the continued box office smash of Toy Story 2, but Pixar seems to have pulled off a 3rd chapter in the franchise without compromising on character or storyline. One of the most particularly pleasing aspects of this film was the fact that there was a resolution and conclusion to the franchise without fear of another 4 Toy Story films being released with a lessening in the quality of the story.

This final chapter of Pixar's Toy Story CGI animation film tells the story of Andy's toys and the conundrum of what to do with childhood toys once you grow up and move off to College. The toys take matters into their own hands once they fear they will be tossed to the kerb and instead choose to be donated to the local childcare, a toy utopia where children are plentiful and always want to play. However all is not as it seems.

This film, like Shrek was also released predominantly in 3D and I must say that Im warming to it with CGI pieces. It seems to add a depth to the world of CGI animation that brings it almost to the realm of live action without crossing into the path of the uncanny valley. The animation, attention to detail and movement in this film are superb and its the tiny touches of character movement and individual toy habits that help this Toy Story to move beyond the sometimes awkward and clunky CGI animation world. Ken btw is a real winner and and Barbie is at first predictable but offers an inspiring and empowering character.

Pixar has truly outdone themselves and this final chapter of Toy Story is a must for anyone that had a favourite toy as a child or anyone who loves not just animation but film.

Wolverine Commission

Commission done for a toddler's room, which is why this Wolverine looks a lot friendlier than the original lol.

Commissions

 Photoshop and Corel Draw on Wacom Tablet.

Animation Review: Shrek Forever After

Initially I had some reservations about viewing the latest and final installment of the Shrek franchise in 3D yet despite some minor issues with the standard issue 3D glasses, I think the 3D effect added to the film in a positive way.

Nowadays nearly every film is released as 3D and the mind boggles with and laughs at the possibilities (think The Lakehouse in 3D lolol). But unlike live action films that suffer with the novelty factor of adding the superfluous layer of 3D viewing, the addition of 3D to an CG animation feature can establish a greater sense of connection between the audience and the characters and their environments. Characters and environments that are rendered to create a sense of depth are given a fullness that, in the case of Shrek, stops just before venturing into the unsettling viewing platform of the uncanny valley, partly due to the character style and partly due to the selective employment of the 3D technology.

Aside from the addition of 3D, the final Shrek film was a pleasant surprise. All the familiar characters are there and although at times it seems to labour along well trodden paths of plot and humour, there is a lovely freshness to the film wherein the familiar meets the new;a theme that is echoed in the storyline.

Overall, a beautifully rendered and forwardly looking CG animation that sets the standard for the industry and stands confidently beside Shreks 1 and 2 (I prefer to pretend Shrek 3 never happened) no mean feat for a fourth installment in any cinema franchise.

imge location

Special FX

One of the things Im most pleased with in relation to this project is the exposure it has given me to the Toon Boom Animate Pro2 software and in that respect I'm glad that i chose to work with Toon Boom. I feel that i have really gotten to know the software and the potential that it allows through this animation piece.

Two effects i used were the glow effect and the integration of a lightening strike. The first effect was done within the program itself through the use of the module library function and gaining a deeper understanding of the network connections. Its not so much the result of the effect in this project, more the knowledge i gained from including it. The effect would have worked better had the background been darker.









The second effect of lightening was one i kind of worked out for myself by watching old cartoons and slowing down the action to frame by frame motion to see what happened to the characters and backgrounds during a lightening strike. This visual coupled with the sound effects gives the impression of a 'storm of anger.'

Production Documents

For a detailed shotbreakdown and production schedule please click the following link :)

Characters Enter Stage Left

This week i've been finalising camera shots, madly learning all about toon boom and putting the characters in their places. So far things are going well and Im liking the way the characters seem to 'fit' in their settings. Finishes a couple of scenes with the little imp today and got a little thrill when i saw the imp blink......'HE'S ALIIIIVE!!!"

I'm also pleased about the type of animation i have chosen to tell the story of the muse and her imp. The narrative drives the animation, rather than it being animation for animations sake.

Got about a week before its due. Will update when i can :)

Backgrounds

Sample use of Toon Boom Animate Pro 2 multiplane feature. Need to revise the size of my backgrounds to ensure that i get everything in the field guide, but I'm really enjoying this process, i wish we did an entire subject about the creation of backgrounds, the use of background and camera and the intergration of character, animation style and background together. I think that would help immensely.

Titles

Trying to establish the theme of the piece from the opening credits. Found a great piece of royalty free music by Kevin Macleod, 'Lightless Dawn.'

Revision

Have been working on another yet related project for character animation (see previous post), actually its been quite useful to take a break from the Moonlit Evil project as it gave me a bit of distance from the storyboard, thus allowing time for revision.

Looking over the storyboard i was able to cut repetitive shots and establish the number of backgrounds and recycled backgrounds required for each section.




I'm thinking of approaching this as a series of 16 shots or scenes rather than as a complete project, i think this will allow me to apply attention to each aspect of the mini film.

Next stop, the animatic.

NatChapmanLimbusGrass.mov

Latest assessment piece featuring Malvenia

Ok so its been awhile since my last blog, but that doesnt mean that ive been on holiday; nope, just that uni has amped up and is about to peak out in the next couple of weeks. In the past few weeks Ive been storyboarding, preparing audio and rendering backgrounds for the Moonlit Evil (working title) piece.

As I will be working in Toon Boom Animate Pro 2, Ive been teaching myself how to best utilise the camera within the scene for maximum impact and have worked out a basic panning movement. This test is a little rough, but it gives u the basic idea.



Working in a 3 dimensional space with 2D objects was a bit of a headspin for me at first and I had to map out the direction and layout of background versus character and camera angle to ensure that all elements worked effectively together. Perspective played an important part in this planning.

The background development and main 'stage' has also been completed and altered slightly from its most recent incarnation to ensure the flow of character movement and that the background did compliment and not overpower the characters.

Imp Design

This so far has been the most trying aspect of this project. The idea of Malvenia was sorted earlier during another assessment piece, but the Imp character was a challenge. I struggled with coming up with a design that would be complimentary to the protagonist. Other Imp designs can be seen in earlier posts, but the one below is the design that will be used.

Backgrounds

Have been working and reworking my ideas for backgrounds for my final 2D piece. Trying to decide whether the colours are going to squash my characters or whether its too busy. I think my most recent background has the components necessary for animation, including character platforms and a design that keeps the audience eye inside the moment.

The backgrounds will be stylised and in the vein of Disney's Sleeping Beauty with more attention paid to colour rather than realistic form.

I plan to import the drawn backgrounds into Toon Boom and using them as puzzle pieces for each character and as a whole. Most recent design is at top, earliest at the bottom of post.

Production Schedule and More Rethinks

The production schedule has been created- now i just gotta stick to it.

Also rethinking my choice of Flash. Have been doing a bit of research into Toon Boom and the use of symbols and have come to the realisation that i really want to do my third year piece in Toon Boom, so it makes more sense for me to perfect my use of the program now rather than 5mins before the third year film is due. I prefer the movement i can achieve in Toon Boom, and i think if i can combine that with the creation of symbols then it should be the most effective program for me to use for this project.

Have also reworked the Imp to capture more of the cheekiness of the original design and to ensure that he 'matches' the protagonist, Malvenia.

Malvenia Moves

Gesture and Key pose study of Malvenia.

Creating an Imp

Right, now to get down to the nitty gritty stuff. I'm edging closer to Flash as a medium for my Final 2D assignment. With this in mind I'm working on my character design for my secondary character, Malvenia's Imp.

I've started reading, 'How to Cheat in Flash,' which can be found in my google library (link sidebar) in an attempt to get my head around streamlined character design practical for Flash.

I have included progressive illustrations of the Imp character from conception to almost Flash ready. The final version of the Imp reflects my focus on the Flash method of animation by symbols. Colour and style have been chosen to compliment Malvenia.

This character is low in status- especially in relation to Malvenia. The Imp is so low that he does not have a name as such. He is like Malvenia, a product of the ancient mythological world, but he is a reject, a joke the gods played when they had left ove parts of other mythological creatures. He is an outsider, as is his mistress Malvenia. The double ears and tiny mouth indicates his role in the relationship as the subserviant 'sidekick'who is reactionary in his interaction with Malvenia. He is sly and when out of reach of his mistress, is cheeky and manipulative- he goes about his 'work' of creating havock with a nasty sense of glee. He is bound eternally to his mistress and serves her loyally.

Final 2D Assignment

Some concept art from my final 2D piece. Essentially we have to create a mini scene, dialogue between two characters focusing on status and character interaction. Am thinking about the choice between Flash and Toon Boom, and its been suggested that Flash may work better for me as I tend to be line orientated and overly illustrative in character design. Using Flash would enable me to add in this detail but to also control the detail, particularly in adding depth and dimension through tonal gradient with the characters.

In the next few weeks I will publishing more information about this project which proves to be both challenging and exciting.

Ever Googled ur name??

Yep in a moment of egotism, i googled my name and this is what i found, i had forgotten I had entered this competition, I didnt win, but its still there which is pretty cool lol. Check it out here.

Essentially it was a writing competition about pple who had changed their career recently and thats me lol.

Finished the Flash

Tonight i lay to rest my Knight of Carrotlot project. I enjoyed, for the most part, creating the piece, but it was a struggle grasping new concepts in Flash CS3.

Overall I think it turned out quite nicely, there are things that I would have done differently had I been more aware of consequences later down the track- in particular character design and the break apart aspect of Flash symbols suitable for animating.

It was the little issues that slowed me down, but the holistic effect is what I had planned and I was really happy with the dragon who turned out to be more of a star than i first anticipated. As with most new media I struggled with the application of timing in animation, I knew what I wante the timing to be but implementing it decisively in Flash took a little longer than i first thought.

Final thoughts, would i use Flash again? Most probably. It wouldnt be my first choice for 2D animation, but it is the most accessible and I can see how (with practice) it would become a slick streamlined way in which to animate short pieces. I also don't mind the Flash asthetic and love the tonal outline look of Flash characters.

To see my latest animation films click the YouTube link at the top of my blog, to go to Carrotlot click here.

Flash! I Get it!

Hurrah I get Flash animation :) I can do it :D

I've redone my character from Knights of Carrotlot, and now he's fully nested and ready to animate. Have also finished the background movement and the animatic.

Almost finished the lot :)

Flash Background

At the moment I'm working on designing the background sequence for the my Flash project. I didnt think i would like Flash, but once u get into it u can really c its potential. It's slow going lately as I'm trying to become familiar with the program and be creative and innovative at the same time. But i think that I have created some interesting characters and placed them in a fun and engaging context.....time will tell i guess.

Im also working on panning and zooming through the background to create the illusion of movement.

Next step is to rejig the imbedded character that I created (and accidentally) posed in a front on position (oh no!!)- perhaps cos i was concentrating too much on getting things right with symbols than the basics of animation (always use 3/4 pose!!). Will post that when its done and will also include the finished pieces. Time to get Flashing! (hehehe)

Knights of Carrotlot

More photos from my latest Flash assignment. This one is a height comparision chart- also note the change (streamlined) in the Knight character in preparation for the conversion to symbols in Flash.

The names of characters are significant: Baledin is Latin for 'strong and brave.' Lapin is French for Rabbit and Veneficus is Latin for Magic.

A Flash Adventure

Have moved on from experimental 2D animation to perhaps the most 'popular,' Flash. I'm slowly learning the benefits and pitfalls of this style of animation. One of the biggest challenges for me is to streamline my character concept designs to ensure that they are 'Flash ready.' Its almost a streamlining of their look, something which will benefit me greatly across all genres of animation. I'm trying to move beyond an 'over illustrative' look in my characters.

For this next assignment Im going anthropomorphic with the use of cute little, armour wearing, weapon carrying Bunnies from the Medieval world of Carrotlot.

Finished!

Here's a low res version for ur enjoyment :)

Almost Done

Since last I blogged.....have let the project direct the outcome of the animation, it has been a real challenge to be flexible, but the narrative has really developed and I think is complimented by the method. Sometimes the paint and the way it created a particular pattern or shape dictated the narrative.

Essentially the story is similar to the original idea- it follows a single protagonist on a struggle symbolically represented through the metaphor of a tree and a fall through space and or time. A second character was added at the end of the piece to add a sense of hope to the situation, the idea of being saved and redemption- though not in a religious sense.





The dog motif was turfed, it just didnt translate well in the medium. I also added a paint in 'negative' section as two hands meet across the screen, this was achieved through the process of drying the paint and then scratching back into it on the glass. Similar in style to that of Leaf's work in 'Two Sisters.'



In post production I've also been experimenting with the addition of royalty free images to add to the erratic and unsettling nature of the fall sequence in the piece. Next post will include the finished result.

Crisis Point

The day started out full of promise, hit a wall of false starts, sagged to a low point of frustration at about 5pm and then ended with a sense of achievement at the close. Yep, shoot day. Well kind of....

Set up the area, experimented with colour choice and the integration of paint retarder to keep the paint from drying and then started to snap away.



Unfortunately, in an effort to keep the paint moving I felt that it was best for me to become more and more animated and in casually flicking paint here and there i ended up with something the resembled a three page flip book. I also encountered problems with the camera and after a few test runs discovered that i had the white balance attuned to the surface in front of the camera- which was of course the light box with fluro lights switched on, this in turn created an over yellowing effect in certain frames.




This just wouldnt do at all...! So after a few more experiments, a little bit of tinkering with the storyline and some TLC support from my film crew, I finished the day with a section of the film complete. I am currently readjusting the overexposed nature of the scene and have fixed this for the final release of the short.






I now understand why paint on glass animation is an alternative technique, its time consuming and the lack of key frames leaves a huge margin for errors, which means retakes which equals money and time wasted in a commercial sense. This does not mean that Im not enjoying the process and the one commercial fault, is the aspect that i have enjoyed the most- the organic quality of the work. I have a basic idea of where the story will take me but sometimes a certain flick of paint or an accidental line of action will take the plot in another direction; which is all ok with me.

I've also had a few more ideas about developing the story further but i'l save that for another post. I'm hoping to intergrate a different medium, possibly two mediums to create an effect that should place the viewer in the POV of the nameless protagonist.

Music Chosen

New month and another small step towards the completion of my alternative animation project. I've selected my music for the piece which will be entitled, "Blue."

The royalty free music is by musician, Kevin Macloud, find it here DD Groove

In keeping with my overall theme for the under camera animation, I'm going to use the title, "Blue" and utilise a palatte of blues from the darkest midnight to a sky blue. This will also combat the problem many artists have with the paint becoming muddy in colour. I'm hoping that each blue hue will build upon the next to create a holistic vision of the story that is complimentary and easy to 'read.'

Stay tuned.

Animatic Rough

Since last i blogged, ive been working on my paint on glass idea for Experimental Animation. I wont say its been easy because it hasn't. Ive really struggled with the concept of experimental animation. My basic concept explores the idea of overcoming adversity. The following animatic is extremely basic and to say the timing and ending needs adjustment would be an understatement lol. I have come to the conclusion that my piece will be of a basic palette of colours. Not monochrome, but perhaps 2-3 colours, this is to avoid the paints overmixing and becoming like mud. I'm a little lost about the ending, and would like to know whether anyone can tell whats actually going on at all.....lemme know :) All criticisms gratefully accepted cos the paint on glass animation style doesnt allow for second chances in filming.Urgh the more i watch it the more i dont like it :( where does that leave me now?? keep going or start over??

So this is Blogging

Ok, so this is blogging. I've created this blog to trace my creative processes during the second year of my animation degree. Soon, there should be a whole stack of links and pictures detailing ideas, concept designs and illustrations....well that's the plan anyway :)